Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,826 in Kristianstad versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,835 in Kristianstad versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,844 in Kristianstad versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kristianstad is roughly 42% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kristianstad is 36% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 SEK 140

$11.94 MX$209

25.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 SEK 700

$42.75 MX$748

75.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 SEK 96.5

$10.59 MX$185

-2.08%

Cappuccino

$4.55 SEK 42.33

$3.62 MX$63.4

25.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SEK 25.30

$1.47 MX$25.69

85.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 22.21

$0.94 MX$16.51

154.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 SEK 71.9

$3.09 MX$54.1

150.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 66.8

$4.46 MX$78.0

60.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 SEK 21.00

$1.43 MX$24.94

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 SEK 25.86

$1.88 MX$32.97

47.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 SEK 36.25

$1.63 MX$28.50

139.26%

Eggs

$4.10 SEK 38.16

$2.64 MX$46.26

55.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 SEK 111

$8.21 MX$144

45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 SEK 108

$8.29 MX$145

40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 SEK 158

$11.10 MX$194

52.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 29.83

$2.65 MX$46.40

21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.01

$1.50 MX$26.26

79.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 28.62

$1.99 MX$34.79

54.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 SEK 40.93

$2.08 MX$36.33

111.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 SEK 14.58

$1.79 MX$31.29

-12.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 16.95

$2.18 MX$38.09

-16.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 SEK 23.24

$1.08 MX$18.84

131.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.10

$1.04 MX$18.15

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.5

$3.97 MX$69.5

82.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 SEK 96.9

$10.20 MX$179

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.27

$1.73 MX$30.22

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.30

$2.50 MX$43.71

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.35

$0.52 MX$9.07

569.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 675

$26.97 MX$472

169.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 SEK 58.7

$3.14 MX$55.0

100.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 14.78

$2.40 MX$42.04

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 SEK 569

$3.09 MX$54.0

1881.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 SEK 18.80

$1.27 MX$22.28

59.06%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.7K SEK 304.0K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

5.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.8K SEK 323.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

49.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 SEK 1,050

$82.0 MX$1,435

37.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.44 SEK 265

$22.45 MX$393

26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 SEK 338

$29.66 MX$519

22.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.90 SEK 371

$51.9 MX$908

-23.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.82 SEK 240

$18.67 MX$327

38.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.57 SEK 145

$4.97 MX$87.0

213.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$146 SEK 1,357

$198 MX$3,462

-26.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 SEK 38.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-22.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.1 SEK 866

$36.34 MX$636

156.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 SEK 382

$40.05 MX$701

2.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SEK 888

$79.9 MX$1,398

19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,419

$88.9 MX$1,555

71.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 SEK 7,256

$963 MX$16.9K

-19.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 SEK 6,194

$465 MX$8,133

43.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 SEK 13.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 SEK 10.2K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-9.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,778 SEK 35.1K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-4.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,892 SEK 26.9K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-55.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,708 SEK 25.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

275.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kristianstad: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $780 in Kristianstad and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 276% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Kristianstad vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kristianstad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kristianstad pays 276% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $780 in Kristianstad versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,826 per month in Kristianstad versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 169% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,826 in Kristianstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristianstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristianstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.